Friday, January 11, 2013

LONGEST one i have ever written....worth it



OK....I am going to try to put all of the story of our roof and Amara's Acts of Kindness into ONE story so you all will read the WHOLE thing.....WHY!?!?!  BECAUSE IT IS AMAZING!!!  On so many angles.
 I find it amazing that yesterday is the 'anniversary' of the family finding something wrong with their precious daughter.....yesterday was four years.
Here is what they found on that day.....i can't imagine the emotions.
"Our little girl, Amara, went in for an MRI scan of her brain and spine on January 9th, 2009. The MRI was done to just make sure that nothing was causing some motor delays and her occasional toe walking. The MRI found a "mass" in her spinal cord, and some "stuff" on her brain, and some nodules around the outside of her kidneys. She was immediately admitted to Children's Hospital where a large group of doctors did many test on her, drew lots of blood, and preformed a spinal tap. The oncologist told us that Amara is what they call a "Medical Mystery" to a lot of different specialist. So far all the test results have been normal. However, the group of doctors are all in agreement that the "mass" in her spine needs to come out. The surgery has been scheduled for Monday, February 2nd, at 7:30a.m. at Children's Hospital. This surgery will determine the next step of action, if any!  This was a complete incidental finding. We know that this has all been in God's timing and we have complete faith in the neurosurgeon that the Lord has hand picked for our little girl! As we are on our knees for our daughter, the Lord has picked us up and has taken us to a place of comfort, peace, and assurance! God is in control, our Savior, our Creator, and our Healer! This is the verse on our refrigerator, the one our daughter has memorized in heart, the scripture for the month of January. Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and courageous! Do NOT tremble or be dismayed! For the Lord, your God, is with you WHEREVER you go! " God bless you all! The Weidinger Family Matt, Molly, Amara, and Lydia"
 On July 26th, 2012.....Amara went to be with Jesus....she left an amazing testimony that will be worth the time to read

Well, it looks like everything has been set for Amara's Celebration of Life Service, thank you for all your prayers as they make final arrangements for this special day! Everyone at Plymouth Covenant has welcomed them with open arms, and are excited to be a part of such a special event! Praise God for such an answer to prayer!

Even though Amara was never a mystery to Jesus, she went to Heaven being a 'medical mystery' to some of the best doctors in the world...and because of that Matt and Molly allowed the hospital to do a full autopsy on Amara's body, in hopes that they will solve her 'mystery' and in turn be able to help the lives of many other children. So please pray for this process and as they wait for answers, that God will cover it all, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Here is a preview of Amara's obituary that will run in Sunday's Star and Tribune....and many of you have been asking for their address which is:
10051 Troy Lane North
Maple Grove, MN 55311

“Amara Susan Weidinger went to dance with Jesus, her best friend, on July 26th, 2012. She lived her life for the Lord and always found ways to SHINE FOR JESUS! Amara will be soarly missed here on earth, by everyone who crossed her path, however, we know that Heaven gained a MIGHTY warrior, that will continue to help lead the Army of Jesus! Her purpose in life was to make “fishers of men”, and she did just that while wearing her bright smile, colorful hats and fancy sunglasses! Amara spent her life dreaming and thinking about Heaven, and now she is finally HOME, in the arms of her Savior! You can learn more about her journey and how God used her kindness, love, and amazing faith to impact others, at www.cargingbridge.org/visit/amaraweidinger . Amara, Daddy and Mommy “love you to the moon and back and back again”! Keep SHINING ON, sweetheart!

Survived by loving parents, Matt and Molly; devoted sister, Lydia; loyal dog, Haley; beloved grandparents, Tom and Susan Mickelson; (Bapa & Nana)Roger and Charlene Weidinger; Great Grandma, Mary -Charlotte Crill; Uncle Jeremy Mickelson(Teresa), cousins Owen(10), Nora(8), Finn(4); Aunt Anne Lenneartson(Jason), cousin Ellie(2); Uncle Steve Mickelson; Uncle Tim, cousins Timmy(11) & Taylor(11); Aunt Renee(Guy), cousins Randi(17) & Payton(5); Uncle Bill Shipton & Uncle Jack Rhodes; Uncle Dick Mickelson; Uncle Jerry Mickelson(Becky). She was also survived by many other, very special relatives, teachers, doctors, nurses, therapists, classmates, and numerous friends who loved her dearly, and who she loved SO much!

Amara’s Celebration of Life Service will be held on Thursday, August 9th, @ 2:00p.m. at Plymouth Covenant Church, 4300 Vicksburg Lane, Plymouth, MN, 55446. Please feel free to dress in your favorite color of the rainbow, as we CELEBRATE this special day!

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the “Amara Weidinger Fund” at any Wells Fargo.”

From ME now....Connie.....
"The last six weeks have been past overwhelming here at this house. Sick children, a friend with a son who was near death and is STILL fighting MRSA, without my hubby here (until this last week) and then finally me being in the hospital (a story for another day) but THIS story HAS to be told before i do one more thing!!!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read this post - I am in tears already and that is another reason i just couldn't write....i am just so completely overwhelmed....
ok....deep breath as i sob. I pray that YOU are moved to DO SOMETHING because of what you next read here"
In the middle of these past weeks, a miracle happened! It was a "little" miracle at first. We found a roofer who said what i have been thinking for twelve years....the roof needed to be completely redone. The miracle in that.....the roofer was no one that i knew and i never WOULD have known had my cousin not been coming to visit our house often. I had mentioned about our roof HAVING to be done. There was no more putting it off! I had forgotten about her even mentioning that she knew an incredible roofer. A roofing company came to the door and i LOVED them! My cousin saw that and stepped into action immediately. The rest.....is history BUT worth "the rest of the story".
The next miracle is one that God knows......God CHOSE this roofer for reasons that still amaze me! GOD'S TIMING BLEW MY MIND!!!! (crying all throughout writing this but really crying now) You see the timing of this was NOT just for me but also for the roofer. God knows EVERYTHING!
This roofer had children who went to the same school as Amara and my cousin's children. The roofer donated all of his time. What is amazing is that he did it with complete JOY! Just so very blessed!
The next miracles just kept growing and growing and growing.....to the point of i still just cannot wrap my head around it.....oh my goodness.....i don't know if i can get through this.....sobbing. How can i see to write this!?!?!!? 
My cousin told me about this little girl named Amara.....how she had a friend whose little girl just passed away a few months ago.......how the family started this amazing 'group' that does 'acts of kindness' so that Amara is never forgotten because she was just an angel with a heart that reminds me of our Sophina. I listened and heard of ANOTHER child who had passed away so young and it broke my heart BUT never dreamed that we would be the recipient of an 'act of kindness'. I was wrong!
Oh good grief.....whew!
My cousin was all excited as she told me about how this group was going to help us. I never ever could have imagined how much they were going to 'help us'. 
If you see the picture of our roof now....there are vents that are sticking out of the roof that are going to be a HUGE help from now on. THAT is the biggest difference between what was and what has happened. 
Our roofer found things that i think made his blood boil. The roof that had had to be put on in order for us to accept the price of the house twelve years ago.....was HORRIBLE. Our roofer took pictures since i was in the hospital and i have not been able to see them yet because there were just so many. Simple things that any roofer would know were done wrong and not done well at that.
(i am going to be exhausted after writing this all out)
Another miracle......having someone who cared enough to do it RIGHT! He was passionate about it. His crew came while i was in the hospital.....it was done in a little over one day and it came on a day (another timing miracle of God's) when Sophina needed something to have her mind on besides the fact that she was very sick and her family was all gone except Daddy who she doesn't get to see very often. Scott said that she LOVED it and 'talked' to the 'boys' out there all throughout the day. (another miracle......she is usually freaked out by loud noises)
Our roof takes my breath away. The color is so perfect.....the roofer picked it out......and it makes my house MATCH!!! I get weepy just pulling into the driveway. I don't know if there is anyone else on earth who is as grateful for a roof as i am. There are NO WORDS to describe what a new roof means to me. It has been a REAL burden for twelve years....a burden that became REAL every time i would pull into our driveway and SEE the shingles all curled up all over our roof! THEN there was the rain in December....for over thirty years i PASSIONATELY LOVED rain storms....the louder the better!!! I ADORED them! They made me giggle with delight! I doubt that any of my children will remember me like that as i have DREADED rain storms for TWELVE YEARS!!!
I. CAN. NOT. WAIT. FOR. SPRING.
Ok....i've been trying and trying and trying to figure out how to share what was given to us but i have no easy way of doing it. I am sure that Amara's family was BLOWN AWAY by what was coming in for our roof (no pun intended). HALF of our roof costs were paid for. The roof costs were more than the other company had told us but that is because of the vents that HAD to be put in so the air flow worked for our vaulted ceilings. For those who saw what that cost was.....well, it was a LOT! FOR REAL, HALF of the cost of this beautiful, amazing, and fantastic roof was paid for. It was paid for by people that i don't even know! It was paid for by people i do. 
My family will try to honor the LIFE of Amara as these people have honored HER LIFE by blessing us with a gift that just can't be understood! Oh Molly......your daughter is smiling her beautiful smile on what is happening here on earth in her honor. You should be proud of your daughter, her legacy, her friends, her school, your family, your sacrifice of giving out of grief, your friends......i am ALWAYS BLESSED!

2 comments:

  1. Yay!! -- for acts of kindness, and new roofs (and good roofers), and Sophina not being scared of the noise...

    As for the hospital... I only heard tonight that you'd even been in the hospital! Another friend asked if I'd heard how you were doing or if you'd found out anything, and I replied, "About what!?" So, I'll be looking for that story next!!

    Hope I see you tomorrow -- at least long enough to get a hug. ;)

    ~k

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  2. Ok....i wrote my ordeal at the hospital onto FB. I wasn't going to put it on here but for YOU i will :) love you

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